WELSH patients charged £7.20 to fill a prescription in England will soon be able to claim their money back.

The Assembly Government today announced plans to change the regulations to ensure that all Welsh patients are exempt from all prescription fees.

It is thought that around 200 people will be able to claim back prescription charges levied in England when the changes come into force in the autumn.

Assembly Health Minister Edwina Hart, pictured, said the legislation will also be amended to reflect the change in England which entitles cancer sufferers access to free prescriptions.

Mrs Hart said: “The majority of Welsh patients who live near the border and receive treatment in England benefit from free prescriptions because they use their entitlement card when they visit a pharmacy in Wales.

“However, there are still some patients who will need to have a prescription dispensed in England and therefore do not receive free prescriptions unless they are exempt under the regulations in England.

“It is unreasonable for Welsh patients who have no choice but to receive their hospital care in England to have to pay for prescriptions.

“Providing refunds for these patients is the simplest and least bureaucratic way of ensuring all Welsh patients benefit from our free prescriptions policy.”

The flagship free prescriptions policy was introduced in Wales in 2007. Scotland and Northern Ireland are now following suit but fees have risen in England to the current charge of £7.20 per item.

But the Department of Health has altered the English exemption scheme to enable cancer patients to receive free prescriptions.

Mrs Hart added: “As a result, Wales will be adding cancer to the list of exemptions for free prescriptions.

“This is part of the UK’s reciprocal arrangements that enables UK patients free prescriptions in any part of the UK because of their age or medical condition.”